Final Cut Pro X for Windows: Top 10 FCPX Alternatives [Free & Paid]
Final Cut Pro (now the Final Cut Pro X) is a powerful video editing software in post-production for Mac users. It allows you to edit video and audio, do advanced color grading, create and edit closed captions and much more. Typical, Final Cut Pro features all the tools that you need to editing and delivering videos from start to ending.
However, Final Cut Pro X is only designed for Mac users and requires a Mac with macOS 10.13.6 or later, you can’t download and use Final Cut Pro on Windows, what's more, Final Cut Pro X will cost $300.
There are so many free video editing software for Windows, so if you are looking for a video editing software similar to Final Cut Pro for your Windows PC, you’re in the right place. I've done some research and updated the best alternatives to Final Cut Pro for Windows listed below. You can choose the right video editing software alternative to Final Cut Pro based on your editing experience, the Windows system you are running (Windows 10 / Windows 8/ Windows 7), and your budget as well.
Quick Pick: Free video editing software alternatives to Final Cut Pro are good choices if you’re on a budget. However, if you want to have the same video editing experience on Windows or Mac, here the Wondershare FilmoraPro is highly recommended.
Part 1: 5 Best Free Final Cut Pro for Windows 7/8/10 & Mac & Linux
Since most people who use Final Cut Pro X may have already known that iMovie is a free video editing app on Mac, iPhone and iPad, I didn’t list it below though I do really think it is a good video editing software for Mac users. Based on my editing experience and research, I’ve found the following free video editing software as alternatives to Final Cut Pro X for beginners and professionals as well.
Note: all the video editing software listed below are not in a particular order.
1. Avidemux [ Free & Simple Alternative to Final Cut Pro X]
Perfect for Beginners
Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Key Features for Avidemux
- It supports various video file formats, including AVI, MPEG, MP4, DVD, and ASF.
- Very simple software with no technical complex.
- Easy encoding for video and audio files
The interface of this software is very simple which makes it one of the perfect solutions for basic video editing tasks such as cutting, trimming, encoding, and a few other basic tasks.
More editing features are hidden under Video Filter Manager in which you can crop, rotate, flip and add borders, logos, or even duplicate frames for a given duration. What’s more, you can add hard code subtitles in SRT, ASS, and SSA to the video or modify saturation, brightness, and color of your edited videos.
On the other hand, the interface is lacking a timeline and not intuitive for me, and when preview, you can only preview the selected applied filter but not all filters applied, which isn’t convenient for me.
This tool is perfect for beginners that have very basic needs, and need to learn fast because it won't allow you to have more controls. A good advantage of this editing tool is that video and audio are saved in one file by using its container format.
2. Shotcut [Best Free Final Cut Pro X for Windows for Beginners]
Perfect for Beginners
Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Key Features for Shotcut
- It provides great file format support.
- Large selection of audio and video filters.
- Powerful and feature-rich.
- It supports a 4K resolution.
If you’ve only used Windows Movie Maker for video editing and want to move to the next level, then this tool is the best solution for you, so we don't recommend this tool for more advanced projects. It is similar to Avidemux that was mentioned in our list, as no need to pay for any upgrade once you downloaded the software. The interface is highly customized and approachable with dockable and undockable panels.
It supports hundreds of formats, 4K, and HD resolutions via the FFmpeg project that eliminates the need for file import. It combines filters and special effects that are easy to manage. It is one of the best free video editors that will help you out in the majority of your projects. Compared to Avidemux, Shotcut features a more intuitive interface, more editing tools, providing you more controls. I highly recommend it as one of the best free video editing software alternatives to Final Cut Pro X on Windows, Mac and Linux.
3. Blender
Perfect for Professionals
Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Key Features for Blender:
- A portion of its remarkable abilities includes luma waveform, live review, chroma vectorscope, and histogram showcases.
- It supports audio mixing, waveform visualization, and video scrubbing.
- You can use 32 different slots for adding video, audio, images, scenes, and effects.
- It supports multiple filters, speed controls, key-frames, and transitions.
Blender is an open-source program that is completely free to use. It was designed as 3D animation creation software, yet it comes with an exceptionally valuable video editor. It will meet your basic needs for video editing such as video cuts and video splicing, however, it can likewise be used for progressively refined tasks, like video masking. This makes it a truly adaptable video editor for beginners, with no complex features as in Final Cut Pro X.
4. DaVinci Resolve
Perfect for Beginners and Professionals
Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Key Features for DaVinci Resolve
- Fully support for 8K videos
- Intuitive interface for most routine functions
- Extraordinary color correction Functionality and Professional audio mastering
DaVinci Resolve is currently one of the best solutions for professional 8K video editing at moment, it has become an all in one professional video editing software with color correction, visual effects, audio, and video editing post-editing. Davinci Resolve has many professional video features such as video slicing, video trimming, and creating videos that feature no watermarks. This software allows you to change lip color, skin tone, and eye color so easily. We can say that it is the most advanced free video editing software, and it is used on several TV productions and film productions as well.
As this video software is perfect for professionals, the spontaneous user interface it provides makes it an excellent choice for beginners too. Among its strongest features that many editors are looking for in any software are stunning image quality, professional audio mastering, and color correction. So, if you are looking for high-quality audio and stunning looks, this application is designed for you.
We have to mention that the free version of this software doesn't work for multi-camera editing, 3D editing, and spatial noise reduction that you can find only on the paid version DaVinci Resolve Studio. DaVinci Resolve 16 is currently available on the market and incorporates such new impressive features such as facial acknowledgment, quick export to YouTube, and 3D sound. What's more, you can transfer FCPX projects to Davinci Resolve or vice versa.
5. Lightworks
Perfect for Professionals
Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Key Features for Lightworks
- Well designed interface, many advanced features.
- It supports the latest video and audio formats.
- Instant auto-save functionality.
- Export to 720p for YouTube.
We can start by saying that this tool has been used widely in many Hollywood productions that we all know like LA Confidential, Pulp Fiction, Shutter Island, Hugo, and The Wolf of Wall Street. Lightworks video editing software is free but it has extra features included in its upgraded Pro version that costs $25 monthly however, its free version still meets the needs for most professional users.
Lightworks is one of the more powerful video editors, with dignitary features that include professional-level color correction, video capture, and extensive format support. You can change its default design and shift to Final Cut Pro or Avid keyboard layouts.
If you are going to use its free version, you have to know that you will only be able to export MPEG-4 files with a resolution of up to 720p. Another great inclusion that is only found in the upgraded version is that you can edit Youtube videos and 4K videos. To get the best results of this tool and its flagship feature, you need to be tech-savvy and a professional editor. Briefly, this tool is not for beginners.
Above alternative free video editing software to Final Cut Pro are good choices if you’re in a budget. Please note some professional video editing software such as DaVinci Resolve has a high system requirement when using some features (like 16 GB of system memory is recommended when using Fusion).
Part 2: 5 Best Paid Final Cut Pro X Alternatives on Windows
Sometimes, a paid solution can save you time and offer you more creativity. In the following part, we’ve figured out some paid video editing software that you can use as alternatives to Final Cut Pro X. Some of them are easy to use yet powerful enough, you can download the free trial version first to have a try before paying.
1. Filmora Video Editor
Perfect for Beginners and Semi-Pros
Platforms: Windows and Mac
Price: $39.99 (1-year subscription); $69.99 for lifetime
Key Features for Filmora
- Adaptable specifically for beginners.
- Its design is intuitive and easy to use.
- It is loaded with plentiful filters, transitions, elements and overlays and built-in text templates and audio library
Filmora is one of the best perfect video editing software for beginners as an alternative to Final Cut Pro X. Its interface is dark which is very similar to Final Cut Pro X, and the editing and trimming process is similar to Final Cut Pro 7 as well.
The interface design is intuitive which makes it so easy to use for video editors, and makes the video editing very interesting and with fun. It can always make your imagination real with its simple features.
You can perform your basic video editing using this simple tool, including but not limited to color tuning, noise removal, video stabilization, and 4K editing support. Apart from your basic video editing needs, you can also change your background, and use its split-screen feature to allow you to edit your video on multiple footages. You can download the trial version for free and have to try to discover more creativity.
Font style and color, have always been a major feature that video editors are keen to find in the software they use, and that's why this tool has its unique text editing function providing a good variety of fonts that you can use in your video editing.
2.Most Similar & Easy to Use FCPX Alternative: Wondershare FilmoraPro
Perfect for Professionals
Platforms: Windows, Mac
Price: $149.99 for lifetime
FilmoraPro is a powerful video editing software for those who want to edit professional video easily. With its intuitive interface, users can quickly find the features they want. Users can make various visual effects like bolts of lightning and raining with dragging and dropping.
It has the same simple-to-use color correction and color grading features. Users can use the color wheel, LUTs, and more to adjust color settings. You can also use auto color correction to get the best color quickly. Smooth keyframing will give you more control over text/title and animation.
More importantly, FilmoraPro offers various easy-to-follow free video tutorials. You can also learn FilmoraPro from start to finish with its learning course. Just download it on Windows to have a try!
3. Wondershare Filmii
Perfect for novice editors
Platforms: Windows
Price: $9.99/month or 34.99/year
Key Features for Wondershare Filmii
- Smart templates for a quick creation.
- A large collection of filters and motion elements.
- Multiple themes for selection.
Wondershare Filmii is like no other video editor. It is packed with smart themed templates for easy and quick creation of eye-catching videos in no time. And if you are looking to craft a Hollywood style video to compliment your social media account or surprise your loved ones, Filmii has got you covered. From catchy customizable captions to aesthetic filters, it's all just a click away.
Another amazing part of Filmii is that you can choose to go for a quick creation mode or go to advanced editing mode to personalize the videos to your liking in detail. It lets you first use the templates for a headstart and later transform them into unique videos by using the advanced editing options. All in all, Filmii is the ultimate video editor to boost your creativity.
4. Vegas Pro
Perfect for Professionals
Platforms: Windows
Price: $599 for lifetime
Key Features for Vegas Pro
- Multi-track audio capabilities.
- Filter plug-ins and video effects.
- Speed and flexibility
Vegas Pro is a major tool in the video editing industry, offering professional functions for creating, changing, and enhancing movies, and audio materials. Its powerful features and editing abilities enable you to make videos easily. It can enhance GPU, give an instinctive timeline work process, save window formats, and perform video adjustment.
It supports 360-degree editing, 4K UHD, and 3D adjustments. This software is highly expensive with a wide range of prices that start from $698, however, they regularly offer discounts on these prices. The high prices of this tool might be one of the most reasons why many video editors don't choose this tool for their work.
You may also like: Sony Vegas VS Adobe Premiere, Which One is Better?
5.Adobe Premiere Pro
Perfect for Professionals
Platforms: Windows and Mac
Price: $20.99 per month
Key Features for Adobe Premiere Pro
- Has every video editing tool video editors look for.
- Dominant exported video quality.
- Easy integration with Adobe tools; straightforward interface
Adobe Premiere Pro is the ideal software for video editors who have spent a lot of time in shopper video editing software and are prepared to upgrade. It is the best alternatives to Final Cut Pro for professionals based on its pricing and features. With Adobe Premiere Pro, you gain access to functions for basic and advanced editing. It allows you to edit many videos together at the same time, and to transfer clips easily from one video to another.
A stunning feature in this tool is the Lumetri Color tool that allows color modification the same as in Photoshop. Adobe products are labeled Creative Cloud which means the platform can be accessed online from any connected device. Additionally, it supports any device, platform, and camera.
Its multi-cam feature allows you to work with an unlimited amount of camera angles that most of the other tools don’t offer. It can import and export motion pictures from other software such as Final Cut Pro. Finally, this tool can coordinate with other Adobe tools to give you one powerful creative suite.
Adobe Premiere Pro needs to be mentioned whether you like this software or not. We can't deny it is a great video editor on Windows. In fact, it has the largest number of users on Windows. With Premiere Rush, Adobe Premiere Pro has a big update recently. It is the leading product for editing 8K videos. You can also use Rush to edit videos on phone and import it to your PC to have further advanced editing if needed.
5 Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Video Editing Software that Suits Your Needs
#1. Budget
You have to plan for your budget based on your needs and if you are a beginner, then you can start with free software and then you can upgrade.
#2. Operating System
Are you using Mac or Windows or Linux? Some software can use all these 3 operating systems, and others use only one or two, so your operating system will play the main role in your decision.
#3. Input and Output of Video Formats
Check the video formats you need to import or export video files, this could be MP4 or QuickTime movie files.
#4. Project Needs
This could be a personal project like a family wedding video, or a professional video like a short ad video. Professional video editing will require more features and tools.
#5. User Interface
Is it a simple or complex interface? For beginners, a simple user interface will work better than a complex one.
Some of the video editing tools listed above are simple to easy, some of them are free alternatives to Final Cut Pro X on Windows, which also means they are function limited to some degree. So, if you are looking for some professional video editing software alternatives to Final Cut Pro for Windows, you can also try DaVinci Resolve, Lightworks, and FilmoraPro as well. Watch the video below to learn more about FilmoraPro professional video editing software.
FAQs About Final Cut Pro X
1. Can You Use Final Cut Pro X on Windows?
No, Final Cut Pro X is for Mac user only & requires macOS 10.14.6 or macOS 10.15.6 or later for installation. But you can use it on Windows by installing macOS on a virtual machine and then installing Final Cut Pro x on it. But you will almost certainly run into driver, performance & compatibility issues. It is therefore recommended that you use alternative video editing programs that officially support Windows.
2. How Much Does Final Cut Pro X Cost?
Final Cut Pro can be installed & used for 90 days on a free trial basis without any charge. If you’re using a previous version of the Final Cut Pro trial, you’ll be able to use the newer version free for an additional 90 days. After the free trial is over, you will need to pay a one-time fee of $299.99 US dollars for the full version of Final Cut Pro X for further usage. Final Cut Pro X requires a Mac with macOS 10.14.6 or macOS 10.15.6 or later, 4GB of RAM, Metal-capable graphics card, and 3.8GB of available disk space.
3. What Computer Is Best For Final Cut Pro?
For optimal performance of Final Cut Pro X, your Mac must meet the recommended hardware specifications. A minimum of macOS 10.14.6 or macOS 10.15.6 or later is required for the installation of Final Cut Pro X. Moreover, 4GB of RAM (8GB recommended for 4K editing, 3D titles, and 360° video editing), Metal-capable graphics card, 1GB of VRAM (recommended for 4K editing, 3D titles, and 360° video editing), and 4GB of available disk space is required. Some features require your Mac to have internet access. Blu-ray recorder is also necessary for burning Blu-ray discs.
In case you want to make a video with built-in presets, templates, effects, transitions, and elements quickly, you should try Wondershare Filmora.
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